The war crimes allegations levelled against the security forces have been rejected vehemently by the current government, security forces and the previous government and under these circumstances, anyone who talks about mass graves in the North will be considered a traitor of the state and an enemy of the security forces, Rajapaksha told the BBC Sandeshaya.

The Justice Minister was responding to a statement made by Weerawansa recently before Thibbotuwawe Sri Sidhartha Thera of the Malwathu Chapter, claiming that a military camp situated at a mass grave site where LTTE cadres were buried, was to be removed shortly.

Weerawansa had told the monk that when the camp situated at a war heroes village site in Killinochchi is removed, this mass grave site would be dug up and there is a distinct possibility that war crimes allegations could be levelled against the security forces.

No need for undue suspicion that country will face ill effects over the absence of the new constitutional bill: Chief Prelate

“If Wimal Weerawansa is claiming that there is a mass grave situated on the site that the military camp was situated, what he is implying is that there was war crimes committed during the war in the country,” said Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa in an interview with Upali Gajanayake of the BBC Sandeshaya.

Under the current government’s proposed new constitution, legal provisions are being amended to make war crimes a punishable offence under the country’s law, was Weerawansa’s analysis.

However, Minister Rajapaksha vehemently denied these allegations.

He told BBC Sandeshaya that the new constitution is still in discussion stage and it certainly is not being formulated in order to amend post Morten laws, adding that Weerawansa is making such statements prematurely regarding a constitution that is still in its preliminary stages, purely to cover up his wrongdoings.

The Chief Prelate had told the National Freedom Front members, including Weerawansa that there is no need to have undue suspicion over clauses of the new constitution which is only in its early stages.

(BBC Sandeshaya)